About STFF
Inaugurated in 2012 by the TACAWA Film Committee, Seattle Turkish Film Festival has become one of the most admired and venerated events of the Turkish American Cultural Association of Washington. The film festival is a non-profit, volunteer-driven event, committed to bringing the best of Turkish films to Seattle in an effort to provide an international platform for talented filmmakers working in both short and feature length formats to showcase their work.
Read Washington State Governor Jay Inslee's Proclamation of Turkish Republic Day and Turkish Heritage Month.
Meet the Team
Semih Tareen
Festival Director
Originally from Izmir, Turkey, but now a Seattle-native for nearly 30 years, Semih works as a scientist in biotech and composes music for B-horror movies that he also co-produces.
Irem Gokce Aydin
Director of Shorts Programming &
Creative Art Director
Having experience as a software engineer, Irem is also contributing to the team as a videographer, creative designer and website developer. She has a passion for art. As a film lover, she is very excited and honored to be a part of ever-growing Seattle Turkish Film Festival.
Latife Lacin
Director of Partnerships
Latife works for a non-profit and loves diving into human creativity.
Melike Yucel Koc
Director of Feature Programming
Melike Yucel-Koc is an Associate Teaching Professor of Turkish & Ottoman Studies at the University of Washington, where she teaches language, culture, and oral history. Her work as an oral historian focuses on immigrant communities in the Pacific Northwest and explores migration, identity, memory, and belonging. A longtime lover of cinema, she is especially drawn to films that tell compelling human stories, challenge perspectives, and create connections across cultures. She sees film as a powerful form of storytelling and a space where art, history, culture, and lived experience come together.
Ebru Yildirim
Event Coordinator
Growing up watching Yesilcam (what Turkish film and art industry was called in old days) movies, Ebru believes Turkish cinema still has many interesting, mesmerizing, powerful stories to tell and share. She helps with marketing and special events for the festival. On her spare times she works as a Financial Analyst.
STFFShorts Program
Ezgi Irmak Yucel
STFFShorts Advisor and Programming
An applied researcher with a PhD in Experimental Psychology. Outside of the world of research and data science, Ezgi is very passionate about bringing communities together. Likes orcas, KEXP, and of course movies.
Duygu Aktas
STFFShorts Programming
Duygu is at her happiest if she is at a live show, cinema or yoga studio. She loves the Turkish riviera, slow mornings with a good cup of coffee, Seattle sunsets and all the cities and beaches she has not been to yet. Duygu believes she can solve all her problems with a glass of Cabernet and the movie “The Shining.”
Nur Ozyurt
STFFShorts Programming
Growing up, Nur has always had a passion for the arts, from performance to creative expression. Today, she brings that passion to STFF as a programmer, dedicated to helping artists amplify their work on a global scale.
Didem Demirkilinc Ibis
STFFShorts Programming
Didem is an Electronics Engineer and has been working in the telecommunications industry for almost 20 years. She loves watching movies and series, and also enjoys symphonies and ballet. She’s involved with non-profit organizations in WA and volunteers whenever she gets the chance.
Nural Sumbultepe
STFFShorts Programming
Born and raised in İskenderun, Hatay, Nural journeyed through eight countries as an English teacher and lecturer, with academic roles at METU, UBC, SFU, and NAU. Now, she teaches in a public school in Canada. For a decade, she served as the art director and panel organizer at VTFF, and now she contributes to the film selection teams for the VIFF, STFF, and MENA Film Festival.
Cansu Gurler
STFFShorts Programming
A software engineer who thrives on rainy Pacific Northwest days and movies that bend logic just enough to keep you guessing. Excited to be part of the STFF team!
STFFShorts Program Screeners and Festival Volunteers
Ali Aytac Mehmetoglu
Burak Kutlu
Gokhan Duymaz
Toghrul Jafarov
Berke Can
Cagri Kocyigit
Osman Ibis
Advisory Committee
Sirin Aysan
Festival Advisor
Sirin Aysan is a television producer and filmmaker. She has produced acclaimed series and specials for major broadcasters and streaming platforms. Sirin has covered stories around the globe and is the recipient of the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for her work on “Child Brides” for PBS. The television programs she has directed have been nominated for Emmy, Prism, and Telly awards.
Demet Kitis
Programming Advisor
Demet studied business in Turkey with Master's degrees in Marketing. Enjoys drawing cartoons and illustrating stories. Loves the 7th art.
Sarah Anderson
Creative Advisor
Joining us at the end of 2022, Sarah refreshed our logo and established a brand identity, and art directed and designed our '23 and '24 campaign creative. Film is one of Sarah's favorite art forms. She believes its ability to teach, inspire awe, and put us in a good mood makes it a truly valuable form of healing and connection.
Ozgur Arman
Festival Advisor
Film enthusiast. :)
Ela Furat
Feature Programming Advisor
Ela holds a PhD in Measurement, Statistics, and Research Design from Turkey and spent a year as a fellow at the University of Washington. Initially focused on photography, Ela shifted to film and earned a BA in Film from the Seattle Film Institute. Now based in Seattle for 12 years, Ela works as a freelance filmmaker, writing and directing short films.
Selim Kuru
Academic Advisor
Selim S. Kuru is an Associate Professor of Ottoman and Turkish studies in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilization at the University of Washington.
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